NEW YORK (AP) — What began as a peaceful basketball viewing event in Manhattan Monday evening spiraled into chaos, according to New York City police, when disappointed Knicks supporters climbed lighting fixtures, hurled debris at law enforcement, and tore down street signage after their team fell to the San Antonio Spurs.
The disruptive incidents occurred several blocks away from Madison Square Garden, the usual gathering spot for enthusiastic fans throughout the team’s remarkable playoff journey. However, the vicinity around the venue was mostly restricted to public access Monday due to President Donald Trump’s presence at the game.
As an alternative, approximately 7,000 people assembled at nearby Bryant Park for a city-sponsored viewing event.
Although the gathering remained mostly peaceful, certain fans obstructed vehicle traffic and declined to leave when asked, while others hurled glass items or engaged in street fights, police and video evidence showed.
Authorities made eight arrests in total — including two individuals charged with attacking a police officer — and issued criminal court summons to 13 additional people. Law enforcement reported that five officers sustained injuries. The New York Police Department did not immediately release details regarding the officers’ injuries or information about those taken into custody.
According to a department statement, “the crowd became increasingly rowdy, violent, and destructive, and there were many incidents of disorderly and dangerous behavior.”
Crowd members “engaged in incredibly reckless behavior — there were large physical and violent fights that resulted in multiple injuries,” the statement continued.
A spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani stressed that the “overwhelming majority” of fans had watched the game peacefully.
“But the fights and other disruptive incidents — including assaults on police officers — in various parts of the city are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the spokesperson, Sam Raskin, added.
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had not heard about fans getting attacked.
“My thoughts, of course, is that we can’t forget it’s a game,” Wembanyama said. “We’re just playing a game out there. I am all for passion, but to the respect of each other. It’s unacceptable.”
Neither City Hall nor the NYPD would confirm whether a planned watch party outside Madison Square Garden would resume when the Knicks host the Spurs on Wednesday for the fourth game of the series.
During the conference finals last month, the NYPD announced it would not support watch parties outside the arena, citing “very rough” crowds as a public safety threat.
But that decision — which ultimately rests with the mayor’s office — was later reversed after the Knicks reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
